October 4th, 2009, this Sunday, 5PM, Henderson Campus, Room B-207. Be there or be square. This will be the last meeting before our big event of the semester, so be on hand to be part of the game plan. We’ll also be discussing other upcoming events, like a visit from gubernatorial candidate Joe Heck.

After business is conducted, we will have an open forum of political discussion. Bring your ideas, and something from the news you want to discuss. Professor Peplowski will be on hand to give expert insight into the situation.

There will most likely be an afterparty at Buffalo Wild Wings. Be prepared. Woot!

The political pot continues to be stirred here at home in Nevada. John Guedry, touted as Republican’s best chance to reclaim 3rd District, (previously held by GOP, Jon Porter) is dropping out of the race. What is going on behind the scenes?

John Guedry

Dina Titus defeated Jon Porter in the 2008 election, with the help of a surging Democrat movement behind Barrack Obama, who led John McCain by some 10% margin in this District. Some political commentators have suggested that “any old fool” wearing the Democrat banner could have defeated Jon Porter, because of Obama’s popularity. Titus balks at any suggestion that anything other than her sheer political prowess and abilities won the hearts of the people.

She’ll have her chance to prove that next year. Her District is not exactly a traditional D-haven however. Look for a Democrat lead majority in the state assembly to beef up that District with some gerrymandering. In the meantime, Titus will have her hands full.

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Just scooped this.  Apparently Chuck Muth is going around saying that Jon Porter is “seriously talking about wanting to get into this race, after all.”  No official announcement yet.

Jon Porter

If Muth heard it from the source, it makes you wonder if Jon Porter wanted people to know about it, to test the waters and see if some polling would be done.  I wonder if he is not able to have polling done for himself in his current position.

Chuck Muth is running the “Dump Reid” PAC, which is under fire from Democrats for alleged violations of FEC regulations, including the use of Harry Reid’s name in the PAC.

CQ Politics quotes him as saying:

“He absolutely is talking to the folks at the senatorial committee and some money people,” to see if there is an appetite for his candidacy…

Here is more from Muth:

Former moderate GOP Rep. Jon Porter – who took himself out of the Harry Reid race last year in order to pursue a lucrative post-congressional career as fat-cat K-Street lobbyist – is reportedly sniffing around DC testing the waters for getting into the race after all. While at one time long ago a Porter candidacy might have cleared the field, now that there are at least four credible, viable GOP candidates in the race (or expected to be in the race) – Angle, Tarkanian, Amodei and Lowden – a Porter candidacy makes no sense whatsoever, especially since he’d be crushed in a statewide primary dominated by conservatives.

Looks like Chuck Kozak is just joining the race as well. Sue Lowden, Danny Tarkanian, and state Sen. Mark Amodei are already in this race against Harry Reid. Jon Porter is probably a notch above the rest, though it looks like it might be a shake down. Republicans appear to be smelling blood.

Jon Porter has been nice to the Capitol Club, and to CSN. He often meets with students when we travel to Washington D.C. to share his experiences with politics. Best of luck Jon, if you decide.

It was a scant 222 years ago today that thirty-nine of the bravest, forward-thinking, most argumentative men the world has ever seen put quill to paper and signed the United States Constitution.

Certainly, a wonderful gift to all United States citizens, but also to citizens of the world. Weighing in (in its original un-amended form) at 4,543 words it represents a truly unique vision of what we, as humans, are capable, and a roadmap to Freedom emulated across the globe.

With twenty-seven amendments, and constant arguing about what the sparse language of the document means, the document at the heart of our ship-of-state has had an amazing life as it continues to thrust us toward our eternal, universal goals of Justice and Liberty.

As a 21st century update to the printed document, please take the time to download or listen online to the late Professor David Currie from the University of Chicago read the document. Truly a testament to the beauty of the document.

Gubernatorial Candidate Dr. Joe Heck

According to Las Vegas City Life’s Steve Sebelius, Dr. Joe Heck will be having a busy Thursday morning. At a private Las Vegas event scheduled for 8AM the Republican gubernatorial candidate will sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge from Americans for Tax Reform.

Sitting (duck) Gov. Jim Gibbons took the same pledge as part of his anti-tax platform. This places Heck squarely at odds with Brian Sandoval who stated in an interview with The Reno Gazette-Journal’s Annjeanette Damon that signing such a pledge would “tie [his] hands.”

Sandoval’s statement drew an early opening salvo from Nevada arch-Conservative Chuck Muth who demanded that candidates “absolutely, positively need to “tie the hands” of elected officials by getting them to sign the Tax Pledge BEFORE they get elected.”

Clearly, Dr. Heck was listening. What that means for the candidate, his race or the state remains to be seen.

However one thing is abundantly clear: if Mike Montandon wants traction for his “New Nevada,” he needs to up his game, because this race is already starting to take shape, and if he waits too long there won’t be anywhere for him to fit.

DOOR PRIZES ANNOUNCED!!

Be sure to drop your name in the hat as you come in so you can win some prizes. 

We plan to discuss club fundraising and recruitment efforts.  We’ll go over the success we had with Club Rush.  To help us fulfill funding requirements, PLEASE BRING A COPY OF YOUR STUDENT I.D.  Though this is not required to come. 

We also need to talk about two important guests we have coming next month.  In combination with the Student Government, we have invited Antonia Juhasz to come and speak at the campus.  That should be a big event.  Further details to come.

Former Nevada State Senator Joe Heck has agreed to come and speak to the club.  We need to discuss the best date to have him come.

Finally, we will have a big political discussion about one or two topics.  We will have Mark Peplowski there to give us some academic insight into 1.) THE HEALTH CARE DEBATE and if we have time, 2.) 2010 NEVADA ELECTIONS, especially the senate and gubernatorial races.

See you all this Sunday at 5:00 pm at the Charleston Campus.  We will be meeting in room K-132.

Gubernatorial Candidate Brian Sandoval

We are seeing a flurry of activity from reliable sources regarding Sandoval’s announcement. More on this as the story unfolds/we get better info.

Chris Erickson breaks the story.

More from Inside Nevada Politics.

Nevada law requires people to show proficiency in gun use before the state will issue a permit to carry a concealed weapon.  Ironically, you can carry one openly at your side with no such test.  Utah citizens are angry because now Nevada is not recognizing Utah’s “CCW” because they do not require a proficiency test.

Photo © by Jeff Dean

Many argue that getting a license to carry a weapon should be like getting a license to drive.  Okay, that makes sense.  But why is it that I can carry a gun in a holster on my side with no test, but if I want to hide it, I must get a license, and pass a proficiency test?

Then the question becomes, why are we going to require Utah to have the same asinine law requiring a proficiency test for a ccw, when we don’t require such a test for open carrying.

Such quandaries are typical in government.  Things are not usually done for practical reasons with government, they are done for political reasons.  Let me give you a fine example.

The federal government does not need the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission at the same time.  They should be combined.  This is cited as one of the problems that could be fixed to prevent situations like we are in now.  Why won’t congressman of both parties do anything about this?  Well, it’s political.

Ze Frank on respect, expectations and acting like children. Thankfully, though we may not always agree here at the CSN Capitol Club, we do strive to treat others with the respect they deserve.

Feel free to respectfully disagree in the comments, and we’ll see you at our next meeting on 9/20!

Rory Reid can rest a little easier tonight, knowing that his only real adversary in the Democratic Primary is now taking a pass. Barbara Buckley officially announced that she will not run. She cited her ten-year-old son, Aiden, as the reason she is staying out.

Barbara Buckley

Save a surprise entry by Oscar Goodman, it should be smooth sailing for Rory Reid. Did the “Reid Machine” have anything to do with her decision not to run? Pure conjecture not worth delving into.

She did have a huge lead in polling and some considered her chances of winning the Democratic Primary to be a lock. Odd that she would not take the opportunity.

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